Best Public Speaking Tip - How To Go With The Flow

I’m going to assume you’re human if you’re reading this. I’m also going to assume you realize you’re not perfect. And I hope you appreciate when others show they are vulnerable too.

So why are you so afraid of making a mistake when you’re up in front of an audience?

I know you want to be perfect but being perfect is overrated. In fact, it’s boring.

Hearing someone flawlessly give a presentation or do a perfect TV segment doesn’t seem real. We need the gap between something unexpected to give our brain a rest. This break allows us to retain the real information.

Not to mention how you handle that “oh no” moment will say more about you as an individual than your fascinating pedigree. You have to build trust with the audience and therefore you have to be REAL.

This week I was overjoyed to co-host the Morning Blend with one of my best friends, Molly Fay.

When you watch the clip you’ll see we are almost too real. Too honest. Who starts a show by talking about their cleavage? Molly.

Later that night, my husband told me he enjoyed watching us because, after years of being behind-the-scenes at a TV station, he knows fake. He could see we were having fun.

You have to have a good time and just go with the flow sometimes. Sure, as a public speaking and media trainer, I want you to prepare but I don’t want you to be a rehearsed robot.

If the slides don’t work or the display table crashes, crack a joke.

People will feel how you feel.

If you start yelling at your assistant or blaming the audio/visual crew, then you’ve lost the crowd and put bad juju out there. If you say, “It’s okay, no biggie”, the audience will agree.

Moral of this blog: Be Okay. Be Human.

To see more clips, go to The Morning Blend on Today's TMJ 4.

To find out how you can get on The Morning Blend and other shows, contact Katrina.

Be camera-ready with her personalized and group coaching for your next presentation or media segment.